Govt assesses Idai needs

Source: Govt assesses Idai needs | The Herald May 20, 2019

Dr Gwaradzimba

Nyore Madzianike Manicaland Bureau
Government is working on identifying specific needs in various areas hit by Cyclone Idai as it continues to mobilise aid for victims in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said Government would direct its efforts to mobilising specific food and non-food items as it continues to seek assistance from well-wishers for the victims of Cyclone Idai.

She said this when she welcomed Ghana’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Eric Odoi Anim, at her offices in Mutare on Friday.

“We do not have enough food supplies for people in Chipinge and Chimanimani as we will also hand you a list of items that we need in those areas.

“We are working with targets to establish where there are shortfalls and direct our efforts in mobilising specific items — whether they are food or non-food items,” she said.

Dr Gwaradzimba said although most schools were open in the affected districts, more still needed to be done as learners were not using the “best facilities”.

She also said more needs to be done in improving infrastructure in the two districts although 90 percent of the roads were now passable.

“We are still in the process of establishing our infrastructure as our major roads and bridges were swept away.

“A lot of work was done and it is still in progress to make sure that children went back to school when the term opened,” she said.

Dr Gwaradzimba said searches for bodies were still continuing with almost 800 people presumed dead or missing.

The Government has since expressed satisfaction with recovery efforts relating to Cyclone Idai victims with the World Food Programme expected to provide food assistance to 15 533 households.

In a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Government was happy with the continuous honouring of pledges by everyone including the private sector partners after the devastating cyclone which claimed the lives of 347 people.

“Cabinet was briefed by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement on progress in the recovery efforts pertaining to the cyclone disaster.

“Following the successful opening of all the affected schools in Chimanimani on Tuesday May 7, 2019, distribution of textbooks and related stationery donated by well-wishers such as UNICEF was now in progress throughout the district,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa also said Cabinet had noted with satisfaction that the registration of beneficiaries for relief support had now been completed in 23 wards in Chipinge district, with the assistance of the WFP.

“The WFP will provide food assistance to 15 533 identified households up to the end of May 2019. Most areas are now accessible by road, save for a few where the DDF and the Roads Department are working flat out to repair the damaged access roads.

“All the 86 internally displaced persons who were staying at Ngangu Primary School were successfully moved to camps at Arboretum and Nyamatanda. The balance of 100 displaced persons who are currently cohabiting with relatives or neighbours will soon be moved to Garikai site in Chimanimani.

“A total of 91 320 people have now been provided with hygiene kits in Chimanimani, Chipinge, Mutare and Buhera. Supply of essential medicines to health centres in Chimanimani district has now normalised,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.